Fear and Love in Manhattan
by Empty Pen09
Summary: Having successfully stared down death and Samaritan's blonde assassin, Root gets an unexpected mission from the Machine that lands her in the one place in New York that she actually WANTS to be.


Root slipped into bed immediately expecting to be brushed aside like a dirty dish rag or one of Bears old chew toys. Sameen Shaw wasn't warm or welcoming, or polite for that matter, so Root expected a terse dismissal when she let herself into Shaw's apartment then climbed into the woman's bed uninvited. The Machine had told her WHERE to go, but not WHY she had to go there. She was being so temperamental lately Root wasn't sure what to make of her new instructions. Finding Shaw laying in a bed in the middle of an otherwise empty room had been a welcome surprise. Of course the machine didn't comment on it, she didn't comment about much these days but Root understood why, security. That was why THIS had been such a surprise. It was reckless and maybe a tad bit selfish but Root had wanted it so badly she couldn't very well turn it down.

"Did you remember to lock the door?" Shaw asked in her usual monotone voice. The question had startled her, Root had thought the woman had been asleep.

"Yes," Root said as she slipped under the blanket.

Shaw rolled herself over and opened her eyes. Their faces were a mere inches apart now and the realization of that made Root's heart skip a beat.

"So are you going to tell me what's wrong or what? What are you doing here?"

Root chuckled. Tact had never been one of Shaw's strong suits but somewhere along the way she'd grown strangely fond of her directness.

"I wanted to see you," Root lied. Well not exactly lied she supposed, edited was more like it.

"You saw me a few hours ago. Tell me what's going on with you. Why are you in my bed?"

Root frowned, suddenly concerned with the fact that maybe she wasn't wanted. Surprisingly Shaw picked up on it because she rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Not that I mind you being here. I'm just worried about you. In the courthouse you seemed off. I haven't seen you smile all day. You run off half-cocked with some assassin chasing you and the next time I see you your arm is in a sling." She breathed deeply. "Then you climb into bed with me in the middle of the night. But you don't even try and wake me up so I can see if you're okay."

Root's heart was racing. As feelings and emotions went it wasn't much but she knew for Sameen Shaw she'd practically bared her soul. The feeling made her feel warm and fuzzy on the inside.

"I'm just scared. Of Samaritan, of getting killed, of losing this war. Of losing," she started to say before letting the words drift to nothing.

"We all die in the end Root. All of us. You can't let that stop you from doing what needs to be done."

Root nodded. "I know. I did my job."

"Are you okay?" Shaw asked again.

Root ignored her this time. "Is it okay that I'm here? In your bed I mean."

Shaw's lip twitched almost as if she wanted to smile but she didn't. "It's fine that you're here. I want you here."

Root smiled. "I took my clothes off, promise you won't peek."

Shaw's brow furrowed with curiosity making Root laugh out loud.

"Well I don't mind if you peek. I won't tell."

Confusion.

"Do you need anything? Water or something? More pillows?" Shaw finally asked changing the subject.

"A goodnight kiss wouldn't kill me," Root teased as she closed her eyes. It had been so long since she'd felt safe, but lying in bed with Sameen Shaw made her feel safer than she had in years. If she didn't get anything else from life she would always have this. Lying in bed with Shaw. It wasn't white sand beaches and umbrella drinks but she'd take it. She let herself smile but her heart skipped a beat when soft lips pressed gently against her own.

"I can do that," Shaw said softly. "Just don't make a habit out of it." Shaw immediately pulled away and Root felt the weight of the bed shift beneath her. Shaw had turned herself away. The heart to heart was over but Root was on cloud nine. Shaw would never say the words but she'd just told her in her own Sameen Shaw way that she DID care for her. She'd never use the word love Root supposed but a girl couldn't have it all.

"If I had known that's all it took I'd have asked for a sponge bath in the morning," Root said easing the mood back to playful banter.

Beside her in bed she heard the unmistakable light chuckle of Shaw's amusement. Best night ever, she thought to herself before drifting off to sleep.


End file.
